


Black Hole

by comeonlight



Category: Final Fantasy Type-0
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood, Can't Forget The Trauma, Chaos, Character Death, Dis Pear, Disasters Within Disasters, Gen, Ghosts, Hallucinations, Heavy Emina Bias, Many Side Characters - Freeform, Possession, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-18 01:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21519457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comeonlight/pseuds/comeonlight
Summary: Ghosts have begun to haunt the living, and the Crystals remain silent. With a hidden threat now surfacing, the denizens of Orience fight to defend their home.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: Things I Can't Promise I'll Finish





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to fool around with an AU, so I did. Have fun maybe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past can't haunt Kurasame if the Crystals keep his memories locked up tight. That's supposed to be the case, anyway.

Lightning illuminates the pitch black sky for a split second. Kurasame tilts his head upward. The air is cold and crisp, yet still holds the smell of rain. Will it really storm at this time of year? Maybe. Orience seems to have turned on its head in the last few months.

The Grand Clock in the center of Akademeia strikes noon. Its chime echoes throughout all the various halls and gardens, clearly audible through even the most boisterous conversations. Kurasame watches the second hand from an outdoor bridge between the east and west wings of the Peristylium's main building. He ought to return to Classroom Zero; his class is an odd bunch and he should get there before they do, lest any more poor chairs end up broken in his absence. He begins his walk toward the east wing, outwardly composed as usual while hallucinations walk beside him and whisper into his ears.

"Please, help," a girl pleads. Goosebumps form under Kurasame's uniform. "When we died, we _________." _Real_ people, mostly cadets with a few trainees mixed in, actively step aside for him. It's an unnecessary gesture, given how spacious the halls are. "Do you remember ____? ...Of course you don't. But, still." Oh, that's right. Kazusa wanted to know all about each of his experiences. Hallucinations, dreams, memories. If anyone can say for sure what's happening, it's Kazusa or the Archsorceress, and Kurasame trusts one of the two far more than the other. The one reassuring thing about this situation is that Kazusa already has a guess. If it were an isolated incident, Kurasame would've just deemed himself crazy, but…

"It was definitely a ghost," a trainee within earshot says. "I feel like I knew him." A cadet says something similar: "Am I losing it? I keep… seeing people." If Kazusa's hypothesis is right, the phenomenon could potentially turn into a catastrophe. But, that's a separate issue from class. As a commanding officer, Kurasame's foremost duty is to educate his students and assist them in honing their skills.

The sea of students thins out as Kurasame descends a staircase toward a hall housing classrooms and laboratories used by specialist classes — that is, individuals cherry-picked by the administration for specialized military training under the guise of remediation or advanced instruction. Classroom Zero lies at the very end of this hall, directly under the Office of Sorcery.

The spotless granite floor reflects Kurasame's image as he walks, alongside that of a Class First cadet wearing a smile. This isn't particularly a rare occurrence anymore, but it's definitely become more frequent lately. He should see Kazusa as soon as he can.

"Kurasame," a familiar voice says. Thankfully it's real this time. Takatsugu waves from the door to the remediation classroom specifically designated to Class Ninth. Kurasame acknowledges him as he always does in a professional setting: "Commander."

The formality never fails to get a smile out of Takatsugu. "I see your hardass affliction hasn't worn off. I'm partially to blame, though…" Takatsugu walks closer to Kurasame, his cane tapping the floor with a distinct sound. "You don't look well. Have those ghosts everyone's been talking about lately paid you a visit?" As usual, Takatsugu can read him easily.

Kurasame frowns. "It's a nuisance. But more than that, it's a hindrance." His performance is already beginning to suffer from the distractions.

"Then help us!" a girl's voice shouts into Kurasame's mind.

"They beg for deliverance," Takatsugu says. "Do you think Kazusa's right?" 

Kurasame's brow quirks. "He told you?"

Takatsugu smirks. "Hardly. I tasked my students with stealing the results of his research. Only one came back with something viable in hand."

Kurasame pinches the bridge of his nose. "You call me a hardass, but your teaching methods… Anyway, yes. I think he's right. They're souls that can't pass on. But why, and why all of a sudden?"

Takatsugu places a hand on Kurasame's shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself. Leave the theorizing to researchers. With Kazusa and Doctor Al-Rashia and even the other Crystal States looking into the matter, we're sure to know soon."

The question is, do they really _want_ to know? Kurasame nods. "Right. Well, I should get to class. Good to see you as always, Commander." "Likewise," Takatsugu says before they each start off again in their respective directions. Kurasame soon reaches Classroom Zero, which thankfully greets him with its typical atmosphere of dead silence before the students arrive. Or, the _rest_ of the students. Queen reads silently at her desk with Tonberry also staring at the pages. "Good afternoon, Commander," she says, clearly more interested in the text than in any small talk. "Good afternoon," Kurasame replies, and then he strides down the aisle running through the middle of the room toward the stage at the front. Tonberry hops off of Queen's desk and hastily joins Kurasame up onstage. It takes a confident stance at his side, and a smile forms beneath Kurasame's mask.

The peace lasts about two minutes before the rowdiest members of the class burst through the doors.

"Run for it!" Cater shouts as she sprints toward the door to the back garden. Sice storms in behind her with magic charged in her hand: "You want me to burn the whole damn school to a crisp? Give it back!" Right behind her is Cinque, with an unconscious Nine strapped to her back. "This is the best game of tag ever!"

"Queen, catch!" Cater says as Sice closes in. She hurls a book across the room, just before taking a Thundara head-on. Queen catches the book, and gasps upon seeing the cover. "Oi, don't!" Sice shouts.

A wicked grin takes over Queen's face. "This is the new volume of _Tokimeki Academy._ If you don't mind, I'll be borrowing it." Sice's face burns red at the announcement. "Queen, no! No no no no-"

"Sice, Cater, detention," Kurasame says. "Cinque, please see me after class along with Nine, when he comes to. Queen… Nevermind. Everyone, please take your seats." As the noise settles down, Trey enters the room, visibly surprised that he's the fifth student to arrive. Not far behind him is Deuce, then Eight. Seven enters with a cluster of girls behind her, blocked off by the invisible authorization-based magic barrier that most rooms in the Peristylium have. King, Ace, and Jack arrive together, all with incriminating bedhead. They were probably napping in the Ready Room.

"Now that everyone's here, let's begin." Kurasame starts his lecture, and to his relief, the lesson proceeds without so much as a stray memory. After class, he has Nine, Cinque, Cater, and Sice sit in the front row. "So, how did Nine get knocked out?" Kurasame looks at each of the students, waiting for an answer.

"He took my book, so I kicked him," Sice says.

"In the head," Cater specifies.

"Down a flight of stairs," Cinque adds.

Kurasame sighs. "Nine, go to the infirmary. Cinque, go with him to make sure he doesn't get— actually, I'll call in Mog. Cinque, you're dismissed."

Cinque scampers off, carefree. Kurasame activates his COMM device. "This is Commanding Officer Kurasame Susaya requesting an escort for a student from Classroom Zero to the infirmary."

The operator on the end of the COMM replies immediately: "Deploying Moogle Eripulci to Classroom Zero. Please standby."

In seconds, Class Zero's moogle arrives, entering the room with a flying twirl. "Who needs my help, kupo?"

"Mog, please escort Nine to the infirmary," Kurasame requests.

Mog's shoulders slump. "...Again, kupo? Oh, well. Follow me, Nine." Nine gets up from his chair with a "Hmph," and follows Mog out of the room.

"Now," Kurasame says. He pauses. What should he do for detention this time? "...I know just the thing." He briefly returns to his desk to retrieve two sheets of paper, each bearing an identical summoning circle. He brings one sheet to Cater, and the other to Sice. "Set these flat on your desks."

Cater and Sice both give a neutral hum and follow Kurasame's instruction. Kurasame outstretches one hand toward each of the sheets of paper, and activates his magic. The summoning circles begin to glow a bright red, and then they each give rise to something: heavy, leather-bound books.

_"Fables of Orience?_ You're gonna make us read old stuff again?" Cater complains. "Come on, why can't our assignment be like… I dunno, eat something instead?" Her words do nothing to sway her instructor.

"Think of it as food for your brain," Kurasame says. "Sice, I'll have you read 'The Tale of Concord' on page 437. Miwa, you'll read 'The Tale of the Fourth Jester' on page 219." Both girls throw him a perplexed look. "What? Would you rather read war history than fables?"

"No, not that," Cater says, resting her cheek in her palm. "Who's Miwa?"

Kurasame mirrors the look on the girls' faces. What in the world is she talking about?

"You just called her Miwa," Sice says.

Miwa? The name isn't familiar at all. "Did I? It must have been a slip of the tongue," Kurasame says. "Now, begin your assignment." He returns to his desk with a visible scowl. Who is Miwa? Is it someone he forgot? Why would he know the name, then? Tonberry snaps him out of his thoughts with a sharp poke. It's right, and so is Takatsugu — the hard thinking is best left to researchers.

Sice dismisses herself within twenty minutes, and Cater within thirty, leaving Kurasame free for the rest of the day. Kurasame rises from his chair and strolls out of the classroom with Tonberry at his side. If only there were a portal nearby. There isn't, though, so Kurasame makes his way to the west wing by passing under the bridge. As he suspected, the weather isn't friendly today. Thunder growls and rain pelts down on students shielding themselves with their bags. The cold is making Tonberry visibly tired as well. Kurasame takes a moment to kneel and scoop his dear friend into his arms. "We won't be out here long. I promise." He ups his pace to quickly reach the west wing and the warmth of the indoors.

Unlike the entrance to Classroom Zero, or anywhere in that specialist hallway, the west wing's entrance has a convenient portal. Kurasame utilizes it to teleport to the second story of the Crystarium. In the corner, behind a bookcase of outdated tomes, Kazusa is almost certainly waiting in his lab.

In a manner far short of inconspicuous, Kurasame approaches the bookcase hiding the passage to Kazusa's lab. He feels for the hidden lever along the edge of the case, then pushes until the pathway opens. He steps inside, then pauses while the barrier guarding the lab authenticates his and Tonberry's Crystal signatures. A feeling he can only describe as "sticky" lets Kurasame know that it's safe to proceed.

As expected, Kazusa is waiting. Unexpectedly, he as other company. A young woman wearing glasses and an angry look sits on the chair where Kazusa's "test subjects" would normally lie fast asleep. She looks up from a decrepit book and glances over Kurasame once. "Kazusa, your boyfriend's here." Oh boy, what did he tell her?

Kazusa turns away from his desk and greets his friends with a smile. "Kurasame, I've been waiting." He takes a small — tonberry-sized, even — blanket off the bookcase closest to him and walks within petting distance of the small creature. Of course, Kazusa knows better than to try any nonsense with Tonberry, so he simply drapes the cloth over its Akademeia uniform and leaves it to Kurasame to wrap the bundle of warmth properly.

"Thanks," Kurasame says, swaddling his longtime companion. From a distance, one might mistake Tonberry for a baby. That is, if babies carried giant knives. "So, your hypothesis. And… her." Kurasame turns his gaze to the woman.

"Right, right," Kazusa says. "Kurasame, meet my new friend and fellow scholar, Doctor Ines Belfarre. She's a magitek specialist from Milites and she's currently assisting in the effort to fix the… issue going on."

Ines closes the book in her hands and stands up. "Thanks for the bio. Currently, we have only a couple of ideas for solutions floating around and none of them are what the people wanna hear." This woman seems confident in her words. Maybe it's warranted, if she's already achieved the title of Doctor.

"So, the situation is as we thought?" Kurasame asks. A grim look takes over Kazusa's face, and likewise Ines' expression darkens. Bad news is imminent.

"It was pretty obvious once the ghosts started showing up," Ines says. "Recall the Stillbirth Crisis that began at the start of the year? Or as some call it, Pulse's own means of dealing with overpopulation. Those babies came out dead because they didn't have souls. They didn't have souls because the process of reincarnation was halted. Meaning, something is keeping the souls of the dead from returning to Orience from the Unseen Realm. _Or,_ something is preventing them from entering the Unseen Realm in the first place."

Kazusa picks up the explanation seamlessly: "The amassed souls trapped in Orience have formed what texts as ancient as the Blink describe as Chaos. If we cannot find a way to free these souls, then our world will erode."

"That sounds pretty serious," a young man says behind Kurasame. Kurasame turns quickly, but sees no one. To think he'd nearly gotten used to the voices.

Kurasame turns back around and shakes his head. "So what were those ideas you had?"

"The l'Cie aren't doing anything," Ines says in a bitter tone. "Chaos is a clear threat to every Crystal. Meaning, it's either a helpless situation or the Crystals' will. In that case it's possible the Crystals are behind all of this. So, we destroy them. In a different scenario where we don't have to destroy the pillars of society, we can try reverse engineering the Dominion's Eidolon summoning method to send souls over." Talk about gutsy. Through all of this talk of seemingly impossible feats, Ines acts assured that they can be done. Maybe she has something up her sleeve, or just a strong resolve. In any case…

"Just don't get arrested for actions of heresy," Kurasame says. He looks down at Tonberry. Its eyes are already closed. That brief walk in the cold really did a number, or maybe it's just tired from the day. Either way, it's best to get it to bed. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Kazusa says. He turns back toward his desk, and Kurasame leaves the laboratory. "...No promises."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cure for Emina's boredom is more than she bargained for.

_The Blink_

Over a millennium ago, in an Orience much different from what it is today, mankind looked to the sky for hope. Beyond the clouds rested a great orb of fire called the Sun. It bathed Orience in its light each day, and each night its partner, the Moon, lit the way for unyielding travelers and comforted those who could not sleep. But one day, the Sun became engulfed in darkness. It flickered like a candle, and suddenly the light that Orience had come to depend on was extinguished. Mankind panicked, bereft of hope or direction.

Then, four great Brilliances appeared throughout Orience, and spoke in unison: "Hear my voice. Hear my guidance. I shall light your path anew." Looking now to these Brilliances for hope, mankind dutifully carried out Divine Will. Man's beloved Sun and Moon became but a memory, and the multitude of stars in the sky only decorations for the New Tale of the Crystal.

* * *

Emina kicks the punching bag dangling in front of her. She follows with a jab, then spins around and kicks it again. She attacks and attacks, until the bag is swinging violently. It's not as good as proper combat exercise, but training is training.

"Miss Emina!" A legionary pokes his head into the private training stall, only to be knocked to the ground by the punching bag. Emina holds the bag steady with her hands, then kneels to check on the man.

"Oh man, Tokito. Are you okay?" Emina looks for any visible damage, namely a broken nose. The poor guy landed right on his face. It seems he's alright, though.

Tokito sits up and waves a hand. "Yeah, totally! I uh… uhm. Hehe." This is going to turn awkward, isn't it? Tokito places one hand on the wall for support and slowly rises to his feet. Despite being blindsided, he's got a huge smile on his face.

"So what did you need?" Emina asks, standing up as well. As long as it's not a summons for interrogation, she's happy to have a distraction from the ever-madenning state of the world. Maybe she should relax a little in regards to hiding her identity. Rubrum took control of all of Milites' armed forces — and most of the land — after the last war. Either they didn't care to come for her or all documents about her were destroyed. Despite bitter feelings and incidents of abuse of power, this is the most peaceful international relations have been in the past fifty years or so. So maybe… No, never get comfortable. Misfortune will strike as soon as she lets her guard down.

"Uhm… I… The Cadetmaster would like you to fill in as the instructor for yoga tomorrow morning," Tokito blurts out.

Another last-minute substitution. What does the administration take her for? Emina reaches for her sweat towel. "Got it. Thank you, Tokito." She dabs at her face until the skin is somewhat dry. She spares Tokito another glance. "Were you intending to escort me to the showers, or…?"

A high-pitched squeak comes out of Tokito's mouth. He promptly clears his throat. "So sorry, ma'am! I spaced out. I'll uh, see you around!" And he jets off like a sonic chocobo. Emina sighs, and gives the punching bag one last slap.

It's quiet when Emina leaves the gym, save for the storm raging outside. She can feel the thunder's vibrations in the ground beneath her, as if land and sky are both shouting and no one cares to hear their words. _Or_ maybe Emina is, once again, projecting her silent screams onto the forces of nature. She trudges through the empty halls, eventually coming upon the Grand Portal in Akademeia's south wing. She teleports to the faculty dormitories, which greet her with more emptiness and thunder.

Emina's light footsteps don't echo. No one is out and about sneaking in a midnight snack. Even the guards patrolling the campus seem to all be elsewhere. The world feels empty.

Emina reaches her room and enters, letting a heavy sigh out when she closes the door. The ghost panic is stressing her out, even if she hasn't seen any herself. Kurasame looks so tired lately, and Kazusa is wearing himself out with research. Can't she do anything to help?

Emina stares down at her hands. If only she had the power to rip open a gateway to the Unseen Realm. But she's no god. If anything she's blasphemy incarnate. And yet, she clasps her hands together in prayer for the souls trapped in this world.

A few minutes pass, or maybe an hour. The thunder doesn't stop and Emina wants to go to bed. She takes a near-scalding shower to burn the day away and shortly thereafter falls into a dreamless sleep.

The stars are out when morning comes, not that most people care to check. But Emina finds them beautiful, and so conducts her yoga class in a room with a ceiling made of glass.

"Now reach for your ankles," Emina says, stretching forward. "Try for your toes if you're feeling ambitious." She's so not qualified to teach yoga, but none of the students have had to correct her during the lesson. Maybe she should throw something philosophical-sounding in. "Pay close attention to your breath. If you regulate your breathing, you can regulate your body and mind." She hears a collective deep breath from the class. They're an earnest bunch. Starlight yoga isn't so bad.

Right on time, the bell rings. "Dismissed," Emina says, and the students exit to the hallway, merging with the flood of cadets coming from all directions. If Emina recalls, the administration hasn't requested anything else of her and neither have any of the other commanding officers, meaning her schedule is empty. What's a girl to do with free time like this? Well, one answer is to go into town. A trip to McTighe would be nice. That place is humble yet rich in culture.

"Miss Emina!" A familiar girl from Class First slips through the crowd and into the room. She smiles politely, then closes the door behind her.

"What's up, Aki?" Emina asks. It had better not be another substitution.

"Mission orders," Aki says. "I've been entrusted with the briefing."

Well this is new. Emina motions for Aki to come closer. "Let's hear it, then."

Aki nods, then moves away from the door. It's best to talk quietly. Even though Akademeia has a pretty high level of security, it's best to treat any sensitive information as if there are spies eavesdropping. How ironic.

"You're to travel to Ingram, the capital of Milites," Aki says. "Your goal is to gather whatever intel you can on the ghost scare going on." So the military _is_ taking this seriously.

"To that end," Aki continues. "You're permitted entry to any and all military facilities in Ingram. After Ingram, you're to travel to the coast of West Nesher. Multiple civilians have reported an anomaly there. A team of cadets, including myself, will accompany you on this mission. Departure time is tomorrow at six. I'll see you at Akademeia Station." Aki gives a salute, the first Emina's ever seen her give. Her technique is perfect, but it's strange to see. She's too… young.

This world is a cruel place.

"Understood," Emina says, returning the salute. So much for going to McTighe. It looks like she'll be spending that time packing and mentally preparing to return to Milites. The thought makes her shiver. The memories, blurry and colorless, creep up to the front of her mind. A boy no older than nine years sobs in the corner of the room.

"Are you alright, Miss Emina?" Aki asks. 

Emina blinks. The boy is gone. "...Yeah. Right as rain. I'll see you tomorrow." It’s hard to imagine that this mission will turn out well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazusa and Ines continue to plot; Emina's mission begins.

A hologram in the center of Kazusa's lab displays a web of complicated summoning circles and otherworldly glyphs. Ines flips another page in her notebook, hurriedly scribbling her thoughts. "On the Orience side of things, there are Pulsian runes, but after a certain point along those lines in the center… there's the dead script of Lindzei. And there's no promise we'll get any meaningful words out of it." Her lips twitch into a snarl for a moment before changing to a thoughtful pucker.

"I hear that the children of the Archsorceress use phantoma to power their magic," Kazusa says. "Just hearsay from an Intel officer or two. But… Say phantoma can be harnessed into magic power. That would explain why under normal circumstances, one would need to surrender their life in order to summon an Eidolon. Is it possible, then, that if we amass enough magic energy, we could summon without a sacrifice?"

"That's probably how your l'Cie does it," Ines responds. "She's got access to pretty much all the Vermilion Bird's magic, right? And some of these letters spell out 'power,' though that concept is… extremely broad." She lies down on Kazusa's "patient" chair. "Ugh, let's just break all four of those dumb rocks and be done with it!"

Kazusa chuckles. "Don't get arrested for acts of heresy, now."

* * *

"All clear," a legionary calls. She hops off the stopped train, locking the door behind her with several loud clicks. Soon, the massive vehicle departs from the third and final checkpoint between Akademeia and Ingram. Emina sits silently, passively gazing through the window on her left at what she can see of the dead, frosty landscape. Beside her is Aki, and on the other side of Aki is Machina Kunagiri from Class Second. Across the aisle, Seven from Class Zero sits with Enra from Class First, who is fast asleep in his seat. There's no harm in it, Emina supposes. These are times of peace, supposedly, and Seven is most vigilant.

A voice speaks over the train's intercom, just barely intelligible through the static and sounds of metal on metal: "We will be arriving at Ingram Station in approximately three minutes. Please stay seated until the train has stopped and the doors have opened. Thank you." The train slows some, but keeps a constant pace as it traverses the outskirts of the city. As approximated, the train arrives at the station in just a few minutes.

"Please remember to collect any bags…" The announcer's voice gets drowned out by the sound of shuffling bodies. Enra finally awakens from his nap, promptly stretching and giving an audible yawn.

Emina's team soon spills out of the train with the flow of stone-faced passengers — civilians, officers, assistants, individuals with plenty of secrets and no allegiances, a moogle or two traveling on business. As they make their way toward the station's exit, both Enra and Machina look around with wide eyes, as if they're tourists and not on a mission. Well, they are still children.

Enra and Machina are abruptly dragged back to the reality of Milites the moment they step outside the station and the low temperature plunges further. They and Aki flinch at the weather. Seven's reaction is but a slight scowl. Emina begrudgingly takes her eyes away from her team and looks to the city. The sky is pitch black and starless, and the lights shining from the proud skyscrapers somehow seem colorless. The air here feels empty.

"Should we proceed to the points of interest?" Seven asks. "It snows often here, so mobilizing before the weather has a chance to hinder us should give us some extra time." She ought to act  _ more  _ like a child. Just what kind of upbringing did Doctor Arecia give her children? Regardless, Seven is right.

"You're exactly right," Emina says. Now, she should divide the team in order to cover more ground. In this case, it'd be best to… "Machina, Aki, I want you to interview civilians. Your maps should have the residential areas of the city marked. Seven, Enra, look for information at the Capitol. It was acquired as a military asset, so you should be permitted entry. I will investigate the laboratory in the northernmost sector of the city. When you're finished for the day, return to Hotel Armada and rest. COMM me if you need anything."

"Ma'am!" Machina and Enra say simultaneously with a salute. Enra throws a glare toward Machina, which is met with a look of confusion.

"Wait," Aki says. "That lab was sealed off, right? What if it's dangerous? Shouldn't at least one of us go with you?" In all honesty, Emina would rather send someone else to go in her stead. But if anyone else goes, there's a risk of them getting into something far too deep for a cadet, top-notch or not.

Emina smiles. "I'll be fine. I promise. Now, you have your orders." Aki's concerns somewhat assuaged, the four cadets nod and the teams begin to move toward their respective destinations. Emina walks away from them, on black roads lit by white lights, monochromatic and silent. At some point the lights dim and die, and she continues on walking through a murky, heavy blackness. Reality itself begins to fade away, leaving only the feeling of the ground beneath Emina's feet.

"I'm cold," a distorted voice whimpers.

Emina blinks, and the shroud of darkness around her vanishes. Green lights from monorail tracks above light her surroundings. Straight ahead is a weathered building closed off by metal gates that visibly haven't seen use in years. It's an inconvenience, but she can easily jump over with some wind magic. More importantly…

"Who's there?" Emina asks. She turns around, ready for a fight but hoping against one.

A woman dressed in Militesi civilian clothing approaches with relaxed steps. She looks Emina up and down, then makes a displeased face. "Well this sucks."

A sudden ache pulses through Emina's head, along with seemingly random bits of information. "You're," Emina says. "Ouch… You're Qun'mi. Right?"

Qun'mi grimaces, as if she's also been struck by sudden pain. "Yup. I thought I felt something amiss." She directs her gaze to the gated-off building. "There might be some info in the lab. I can help you get it. Or destroy it. Whatever. And before you ask, I'm helping so you can get the hell out of my town faster."

Qun'mi isn't the most polite person, but Emina can tell she isn't lying. In that case, she should accept. Their goals are aligned. "Alright. We'll be gone as soon as possible."

"Hmph." Qun'mi raises her hand, and her eyes flash white. Slowly, the gates begin to move. Qun'mi walks toward the building, with Emina joining her stride as she passes by. "You know you're being followed, right?" Qun'mi asks nonchalantly under her breath.

"Let them be for now," Emina replies in a whisper. If her observer can condemn her, then that person can also defend her. Or so she dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurasame catches a break, more or less; Ines seeks out a sample for research.

Kurasame takes a sip of tea in the faculty lounge. Mog is handling today's lecture, so he can take a breather. As best he can, anyway. The ghosts haven't let up much, but at least the tea has a hearty flavor and the chairs in the lounge are comfortable.

Across from Kurasame, Urushi looks on with concern. "You look ill, Kurasame. I know it probably won't do much, but maybe you should take tomorrow off. I've been thinking of doing the same. We could have tea again."

Kurasame rests his cup on the table between himself and his company. "You're too kind, General. My first obligation, however, is—"

"Stooop right there," Urushi interrupts. "You can't help your students or the Dominion if you're totally out of it." Her tone softens. "You know that Taka and I care for you like a son. Please, try to get some rest. _They_ would want you to, too."

"Yeah, get the stick out of your ass," says a shadowy figure standing beside the table.

Kurasame lowers his head. His lips form a smile. "I'll try, then. For yours and the Commander's sake, and for those forgotten."

"Good," Urushi says. "And quit with the formalities, sheesh!" The laughter of cadets rings in Kurasame's ears, teasing him for being so stiff. As unsettling as it should be, Kurasame almost wants to laugh with them. Maybe he will, next time.

* * *

Elsewhere, Ines prepares to commit what's likely considered a felony. She waits in the cemetery near the mausoleum entrance, waiting for a signal from Naghi, a cadet that Kazusa called in for a favor. The two guards in front of the mausoleum are average legionaries and on low alert; from what Ines can hear, they're chatting about diets.

Ines pretends to pray over the grave of a random soldier. And then the mausoleum guards both slump to the ground, fast asleep. That's a signal if Ines has ever seen one. She drops the facade immediately and runs into the building, navigating the dark within using a pocket flashlight.

At first, Ines finds only stones and dust, but more poking around leads her to a staircase leading down, into the catacombs if her intel is correct, and that's just what she needs. She coughs — in hindsight she should've brought a mask to protect against the dust — and begins her descent down the stone steps. They spiral down and down, with cobwebbed torches affixed to the wall every ten steps or so. The metallic smell of minerals lingers as the air thins. A wave of uneasiness strikes, but Ines proceeds onward, until she reaches the bottom of the staircase. Tunnels stretch out on all sides, dark and rich with secrets save for one. The path directly ahead is bright, only in the literal sense. Maybe it's the fact that she's now standing in the _catacombs_ of all places, but Ines feels a chill on her skin and down her spine.

Ines takes a breath and turns off her flashlight. It's time to hurry up and get this over with. She walks down the hall toward the light, until she emerges into a circular room with numerals inscribed on the floor. Many other doors seem to connect to other parts of the catacombs. In the center of the room sits a cog-shaped pedestal, upon which the Vermilion Bird Crystal rests. It's rather unimpressive, Ines thinks, but she didn't come here to take pictures. She withdraws a "specialized" syringe from her pocket and takes a step closer — and then she's face to face with the Secundus.

A woman with glowing red eyes appears out of thin air, nearly blowing Ines away with the sheer power of her aura. Ines grounds herself. "...Caetuna, right? I'm not gonna hurt your Crystal. I'm trying to save it. And all of Orience."

Caetuna's eyes fade from brilliant red to a dull green, but her aura remains overbearing and hostile. Ines feels her muscles stiffen, as if an airborne toxin is poisoning her body. "Such intent opposes the Will of the Crystals," Caetuna states. "Begone from this place. Else, thine executioner I shalt become."

Ines bares her teeth and returns her syringe to her pocket. "...You oughta strike me down now. I don't give a damn about what the Crystals think if they wanna end the world." A calmer person, or really any person with a sense of impulse control would've held their tongue in this situation. Fortunately for Ines, Caetuna doesn't so much as reach for the sheathed knife strapped to her hip.

"Then, pray rescue this world from oblivion," Caetuna says. Like a spell, the words alleviate Ines' stiffness, and the hostile aura dissipates. Then, Caetuna's eyes fall shut. The mark of Pulse appears on both of her hands, shining crimson on her skin. Arrow patterns spread to her fingertips and jawline within seconds, crawling to every place they can reach as if to consume her.

Ines doesn't stay to see the rest. She bolts in the direction she came from, hacking on thin air and dust as she ascends the stairs. Pained wails echo from below and something about it makes Ines feel nauseous, but she pushes herself on until she reaches the surface, and throws herself out the mausoleum doors. She falls on her side, right between the unconscious guards and in front of Naghi.

"Did you get it?" Naghi asks nonchalantly. Ines looks up, huffing for breath. She reaches into her pocket and throws the empty syringe. Naghi catches it in one hand and takes a quick glance. "It looks like the l'Cie aren't happy with our little plan. Kazusa's very against sacrificing lives for research on something that might not even work, so that leaves our _other_ option. Are you prepared for that?"

Ines pushes herself off the ground and stands up on strained legs. Deep down, something about Naghi unsettles her. He probably has a thousand skeletons in his closet that she's better off not knowing about. "Don't test me, kid. _Nothing_ is gonna keep me from my goal. I'll wage war on the Crystals all by myself if I have to."

"But you don't have to," Naghi says. "Charon and Faith are ready to move. So are insiders here, as well as in the other Crystal States. Plus, we've got a secret weapon." The news that Faith would be willing to take out the main energy resource for Milites surprises Ines far more than that of a secret weapon. But, it's reassuring. Naghi turns away. "We'd better get outta here. Those guards should wake up in the next ten to twenty minutes."

Ines takes what encouragement she can from Naghi's words about allies in high places. "Alright. Let's change the world."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emina and Qun'mi explore the laboratory.

Everything is gone. The ground floor of the laboratory is cold, dark, and empty. The only evidence that it ever had a purpose is the layout itself; electronically locked doors seal off different rooms with thick glass walls, and the only accessible hallway leads to an elevator with a far more advanced locking mechanism. "And I thought the Steelworks was dingy," Qun'mi remarks. "Let me see if I can…" She closes her eyes and lets out a strained hum. "Power up, damn you," she mutters. Obeying her command, the facility's remaining devices start up. Overhead lights flicker on, and the locks on the doors all click simultaneously. Indicator lights flash red, then switch to green. The elevator opens.

"Thanks," Emina says. She takes another glance around at the empty rooms, then continues toward the elevator. Qun'mi joins her, unwilling to be bothered with making any small talk. The pair rides the elevator down one floor, to the first of three basements.

The first basement is nearly as barren as the ground floor. Computer stations and large screens built into the wall remain, but the only thing to appear on the displays is a blue background with white text reading: “SOURCE UNAVAILABLE.” Emina checks the nearest computer for any salvageable hard drives and, unsurprisingly, finds nothing. When this facility was vacated, the employees must have destroyed any and all records. Still, she has to be thorough. Emina checks each computer, turning up not a single hard drive, disc, or memory card. Granted no one hid anything in a secret spot behind a wall panel, there's nothing here, and that's good news for her. "Okay. Next floor."

Emina returns with Qun'mi to the elevator, and they move down. The next floor is one Emina wishes she could wipe from existence. Corridors of stalls stretch out to the left, with nothing but a single white mat and burlap blanket in each. To the right is empty space, sectioned off by double white lines on the floor. The walls and floor of the empty space are marked with scratches. If the surfaces weren't a specially coated metal, they'd be stained with blood. "Why did this happen?" someone asks in a trembling voice. Emina grits her teeth, caught between the desire to banish the lingering spirit and the desire to console it. The whole of her right shoulder blade stings.

"You sick or something?" Qun'mi asks.

Emina draws a deep breath. "It's nothing to be concerned with. Like you said, the sooner I'm out of Ingram, the better." She steps toward the left side of the room. If there's anything left in this place, it's probably hidden in the bedding of someone once kept here. Emina goes through the delicate task of turning over each mat, looking and feeling for abnormal seams, examining the walls for any leftover hidden messages — and there's nothing. "Nothing over here," Qun'mi calls from the right side of the room. "Scratches don't spell out anything either." That leaves the bathroom and the isolation room to investigate.

The last stall in the corridor is considerably wider than the others, housing two sinks, two toilets, and a shower that looks like it could fit about five. How many of them used to shower at once again? Oh, right. How silly of Emina to try to remember.

"You know," another ownerless voice says to Emina. "Whenever I'd notice we were missing someone, or if I saw a bodybag, I… felt happy. I was happy for them." Emina moves on to the very back of the second basement, to a room sealed behind a heavy door with a red flashing lock indicator. All the times Emina can remember seeing that flashing light, she was being escorted in, coerced in, dragged in.

_ "You understand that sacrifices must be made so that the Empire and her people may prosper." _

_ "This purpose is greater than you, greater than me." _

_ "This is a test—" _

_ "Corrective measures—" _

_ "Hesitation is not a luxury you can afford. Kill—" _

Emina punches the door through no choice of her own. She stares at her fist, processing her action. Qun'mi calls out to her, but she sounds distant: "The hell's with you?"

Emina shakes her head and opens the door. The isolation room is spacious, but contains only a table, two chairs, and a flickering lamp. The sight stings Emina's eyes. She turns the furniture over, scanning every surface in the room at superhuman speed. The air is stale, foul, noxious. Emina blinks—

And she's back on the elevator, with Qun'mi walking toward her. "Not gonna collapse on the next floor, are ya? Damn." Emina gives Qun’mi an empty glance. The look of mild concern on Qun'mi's face deepens. Without another word, the two descend to the final basement.

When the elevator doors open to the "heart" of the laboratory, Emina hears screams. A deafening cacophony of shouts, sore and broken and angry. Vengeful. Desperate. Some of them are her own.

This floor is simple. Two empty desks, and ten examination tables with restraints, some of them broken. Emina feels dizzy as she examines the tables. She raises and lowers them, and checks the restraints. Everything creaks. Crumbs of dried blood and dirt fall from the disturbed crevices between metal. Every inch of Emina's skin burns. The pain digs into her muscles, her bones. The screams don't stop.

Emina drags herself to the desks and the next thing she knows, they're on fire. "Well," Qun'mi says. "If there was anything in there, it's gone now." The power inside the lab shuts down, leaving the crackling fire as the only source of light. Qun'mi looks at Emina's expressionless face. Emina stares into the fire silently. "...Let's get out of here." Qun'mi places a hand on Emina's shoulder. A white light envelops them, and then they're outside in the snow.

Emina turns her head to look at Qun'mi. "Huh? Oh. Thanks. I'll be on my way then." She starts on her way toward Hotel Armada with that, taking disoriented yet decisive steps.

Maybe Qun'mi used her teleportation ability again. Maybe Emina is too tired to remember the journey. But she makes it to Hotel Armada safe and sound. She takes a moment to look at the outside of the building. Some might call it, "admiring." Maybe this city  _ is _ beautiful in its own way. "But it's no Akademeia," Emina says. "No matter what you do or don't know about me, Rubrum is my home. You understand that, don't you?" She turns around slowly and stares straight ahead.

As if peeled away by Emina's gaze, an Invisible spell wears off to reveal Aki. The pained look on her face hurts Emina too. "Miss Emina, who are you really?"

Emina almost feels like laughing. "I wish I knew. Who I am,  _ what  _ I am. All I want to do is live my life and stay by my friends. But if you choose to ask where I'm from and what happened to me, I'll tell you everything I can remember."

A gust of wind causes Aki to shiver. What the hell was Command thinking, sending her on a mission like this? Then again, during the most recent war, it was made abundantly clear that cadets are just tools to the top brass. In that regard, Emina is just like them. But, unlike them, Emina is someone who should’ve made herself vanish from the face of Orience, years ago.

"Then I won't ask," Aki says. Her words pull Emina back to the present.

"Commanding Officer Emina Hanaharu, citizen of the Dominion of Rubrum. That's who you are, as far as I'm concerned." Aki sniffles and forces a smile. "You’re the captain of this team. So, I apologize for disobeying your orders and leaving Machina to investigate without me. If you’d be willing to pardon my behavior, then let's go inside."

This time, Emina  _ does  _ laugh. An incredulous, "Heh," leaves her mouth. "Yeah, let's go."

  
  


In a suite in the middle of the third floor of Hotel Armada, Machina and Enra snooze away in their bedroom. Their positions are somewhat unnatural, as if they were sent to bed and inflicted with a Sleep spell. Emina decides not to bother them. In the adjoined room, Seven sits on a couch reading one of the hotel's magazines about magitek. "Sorry we're late," Aki says. Emina offers an apologetic smile as she enters.

"Should we share the information we've gathered?" Seven asks. That would be the logical next course of action for the mission, but Emina is personally tired of the mission and could use a moment’s rest.

"Yes, we should," Emina says as she walks to her bed. "But first, I need a nap."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emina issues instructions to her team. Andoria addresses Celestia.

"So basically, people are being haunted and the only info the authorities have are a couple of reports of ghosts begging for freedom." Emina returns a paper with the word "COPY" watermarked across it to an envelope. She stands from her bed. "In other words, nothing useful. Seven, Machina, Enra, I'd like you to return to the Dominion with these." She hands the envelope to Machina.

Machina slowly reaches for the envelope. "Are… you sure about that, Miss Emina?" A look of genuine concern is present on his face, and that's precisely why he especially should head back to Rubrum now.

"You may have combat experience," Emina says. "But this 'anomaly' we're supposed to investigate is likely something we've never dealt with before. So, it's to be treated an unknown threat." She's met with puzzled looks from the cadets, but continues: "I'd be a fool to go without backup, of course. That's why I ask that you accompany me, Aki. But I'll leave the ultimate choice to your discretion. We may not be at war, but this mission could easily turn deadly. All of you are very strong, but I can only watch so many backs."

"Excuse me!" Enra says in a raised voice. "You acknowledge our strength, but then you treat us like we need to be protected? And why choose Aki for backup?" He pauses when Aki shoots him a glare. "Uh… I don't mean anything by that, but it doesn't make any sense."

"You don't intend to throw your life away, do you?" Machina asks. "That's not true, is it? You wouldn't."

Before Emina can say anything, Aki comes to her defense. "Of course not. She's just looking out for us. And she  _ is  _ the captain of this team. Orders are orders, and logically speaking, any of us dying would be a far greater loss than her."

Enra steps forward, eyes wide with shock at his classmate's words. Seven places a hand on his shoulder. "Enra, she's right." Enra slaps her hand aside and clenches his jaw.

"Of course, I'll be there to make sure there are no casualties," Aki says with a smile. It's forced, Emina can tell, but it's well-done. It should be enough to fool most people. "I've been practicing my curative spells especially. If anything happens, we'll be fine." Her mind's made up.

Enra and Machina exchange a look of clear dissatisfaction, but refrain from saying more. "You have your orders," Emina says. "Cadet Enra, Cadet Machina, Cadet Seven, return to Rubrum and report to Central Command immediately. Cadet Aki, please accompany me to the coast of West Nesher."

The cadets all salute. "Ma'am!" The boys leave the room, arguments sealed behind tight lips. Seven lingers for a minute with a question in her stare, trying and failing to read Emina. Seven is a perceptive one, but Emina's been adept at lying for longer than Seven has been alive. "Aki will return," Emina says firmly. "I can promise you that."

Finally, Seven nods and leaves the room. "You don't really think it's that dangerous, do you?" Aki whispers.

Emina tilts her head from side to side. "I doubt it. The report didn't really say much of anything. If it were a monster or something actively attacking passersby, there'd be a note. Still, we'd better keep our guard up."

"Right," Aki says. She's determined as always. Something about that stirs both joy and sorrow within Emina. Aki is the kind of person who will die without regrets. Aki is also the kind of person who will die on the battlefield, her last attempt to claim victory out of love and pride for her home bleeding out in vain.

Emina sets her mind back on the mission and looks toward the door. "Alright, let's get a move on."

* * *

Celestia, the Akatoki Warden of the Kingdom of Concordia's Five-Star Royal Guard, stands patiently before Queen Andoria. The queen's deep meditations take hours, sometimes days, but she always opens her eyes with new wisdom, some of which she may decide to share with mortals. She is a fair and just leader, regarded as far more considerate than those of neighboring nations, should one ask a Kingdom citizen. At times, Celestia forgets that the queen has given herself to the Crystal, as she has undoubtedly given her heart to her people.

Andoria opens her eyes and greets Celestia with a smile. Celestia bows as always. "Welcome back, Your Majesty."

"You speak as if I'd gone off to some faraway place," Andoria says. She gives a thoughtful pause. "Perhaps I have. At any rate…" Her voice takes a slightly heavier tone than its usual flatness as her gaze hones in on Celestia, peering into the contents of her heart.

"I've seen it: what action you shall take, and the end result. Are you prepared to risk everything?"

Celestia retains her outward composure as fear wells within. She's known all along that the queen would see the future, a future in which the Akatoki Warden raises arms against the Peristylium she'd sworn to protect. "I am." Despite her love for her nation, its people, its magnificent beasts, and the beautiful society built around the Azure Dragon Crystal, Celestia cannot allow the souls of the dead to continue suffering and wreaking havoc upon the world of the living. She cannot falter now. The queen knows that, and she has seen that.

"Take a look upon Mahamayuri," Andoria says. "Before the storm of battle falls upon it once again. You tread the path set forth by your heart, Celestia. I ask that you never stray from it."

Celestia bows once again, dismissing herself. "Yes, Mistress Kaya." She leaves the throne room, into the embrace of the familiar clouds, trees, and architecture, coexisting in beautiful harmony. Celestia basks in the moment, for this fragile peace will soon shatter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurasame has a fleeting dream. Emina and Aki investigate the coast.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble," Kotetsu says, his voice echoing. He waves a hand in front of Kurasame's face. "If you can even hear me, that is."

Kurasame's body feels heavy, like he's submerged in something invisible and thick. Every attempt to move is met with a force that keeps him locked in place. If he had any words to speak, he wouldn't be able to voice them.

"Your heart never did let go, did it?" Kotetsu asks. "Of course not. I thank you for that, but at this rate your—" 

Kurasame jolts awake, memories of his dream rapidly fading. "Ko…" What was he saying? Kurasame shakes his head and climbs out of bed. Maybe a midday nap wasn't a good idea. For some reason, the scars on his face sting.

* * *

Emina dismounts her chocobo. "Here's good." Aki follows suit, sliding off her chocobo's back onto the snow-covered ground. It's far colder outside the city, but she seems to be doing well now that she's wearing the Akademeia-issued snow coat Emina insisted on buying from a supplies dealer before they left Ingram.

"How's the battery? Do we need a second light?" Aki asks, eyeing the flashlight in Emina's hand. Cranked up to its highest setting, its light floods the immediate vicinity — a radius of four meters or so. The worst of the snow seems to have gone by while they were riding, but the precipitation is still steady, hindering visibility.

"No need," Emina says, taking a step toward the sound of the sea. Aki follows close behind. The snow crunches beneath their feet as they inch toward the coast.

"I kind of expected you to tell me a secret or something," Aki says as they trek. "Either way, thanks for saving me the trouble of tailing you from the shadows again. Intel really gave me a pain of a mission."

"I wonder if bringing you along is  _ more  _ suspicious," Emina thinks aloud. "And if you're lucky, you won't be exposed to anything else about me." Aki doesn't reply.

The sound of waves grows louder, and the wind picks up. Finally, water comes into view — along with a murky, greenish light that illuminates the entire coast. Emina cautiously turns off her flashlight. She can still see. This is no trick of the eye.

"I can't hear it anymore," Aki says. She's right. The waves lash out at the sand, but they make no noise. Emina turns around. The way back is a black cloud of fog with ice-cold wind blowing out of it. "Is this something the ghosts made?" Aki asks. That's just one of the countless questions this "anomaly" warrants.

Emina hands Aki her flashlight. "Return to Command and report what you saw here, that's an order."

"And you?" Aki asks, not budging.

"Go quickly. I just have a bad feeling—"

A blade strikes the sand, narrowly missing Emina as she dodges backward. A cloaked figure coming from seemingly nowhere claims the hilt, then swings again. Emina ducks under the attack, and Aki casts Blizzara at point blank. The enemy dodges the attack like it's nothing. It throws a kick toward Emina as it turns its blade in Aki's direction.

Aki falters in surprise, but manages a Wall spell just in time. Emina stops the force of the kick with her arms and an Aero spell, following up with a kick of her own to the figure's head—

And it disappears. The figure vanishes in a trail of smoke, then reappears above Aki with its sword pointed down. Emina glances at Aki's Wall, cracked to nearly the point of shattering with one hit. This enemy is not normal, and this place sure as hell isn't, either.

Emina lunges forward. She pushes Aki into the black fog with one hand and brandishes her katana with the other. "Retreat!"

The cloaked figure's blade clashes with Emina's, sparking with a terrible sound before the collision pushes both of them away.

"I saw memories of a pure light."

Emina knows that voice.

"Of darkness. Joy, anger, love, despair. The memories of Etro's children. All here in the Chaos. I'd like to see the goddess face to face someday. Don't you think that'd be interesting? Would you like to come along?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Emina says. "Why do you want to fight me, Morse?"

A familiar, albeit subdued, laugh comes from the cloaked figure. It sticks its sword in the ground and reaches up to remove its hood, revealing the face of a man with fine lines beneath his eyes, stubble on his chin, and a scar on the right corner of his mouth. His hair is the same blond Emina remembers, though it's been cut short. For some reason or another, Emina almost wants to laugh too.

"You just happened to be in the area," Morse says. "I'm stronger than most, so I couldn't pass up a good fight." He grips his sword again.

"A fight where one of us dies?" Emina asks.

"As if I could kill you." Morse disappears into smoke again. The trail speeds toward Emina, and he reappears with a mighty swing. Emina meets him blow for blow. One, two, three collisions and she calls down Thunder. Morse dodges as expected, and Emina swings again. Their blades clash again. Morse chuckles.

"Damn it," Emina says under her breath. She tries for a kick. Morse blocks her leg with his sword, cutting a deep gash as her blade sinks into his shoulder. Emina shouts in pain but continues attacking, dismissing her katana in order to punch Morse square in the face. Morse tears his sword out of Emina's leg and takes another strike to the face, nearly toppling over. He flings his blade aside returns the favor with a tight fist. Emina guards, but the punch breaks her defense and sends her falling back. Morse is on her in an instant with a heavy kick. Emina feels something in her torso snap, hears some sort of whine ringing in her ears, and sees red for a moment. An Aeroga blasts out of her without preparation or premeditation, sending her rolling toward the ocean and Morse flying away.

And then Morse is on her again, fist raised. Emina beats him to it; she stands on her good leg and swings her injured one, striking Morse in the jaw. She pulls his arm down with one hand and punches him in the gut with the other. He gags, but sweeps her legs and they both fall into the sand.

"You're really that stubborn?" Morse asks as he twists Emina's arm into an unnatural position. Emina punches him again and again with her free hand, vision blurry as her adrenaline rush gives way to the full extent of the pain. "Show me what your real power is!" Morse breaks Emina's arm with an audible crack and winces at the roar of agony that follows. He pulls a knife from a pocket beneath his cloak and presses it into the skin of Emina's neck. Blood begins to trickle onto the metal, and then the world is on fire.

A blast of flames throws Morse far along the beach, charring bits of his clothing and skin before the sand puts it out. Emina stands on both feet with ease as her body visibly mends itself. She appears in front of Morse in the blink of an eye and lifts him by the neck with her uninjured arm. Morse attempts a kick, but Thunder magic further burns him and paralyzes his body. He looks into Emina's right eye, now shining red, and smirks. Emina throws him back into the sand. "Happy? Now tell me everything you know about this place."

"Hn… Fine," Morse concedes. "Let me…get up first." Smoke begins to creep out of the ocean, toward his limp fingertips. Emina takes a cautious step back. The smoke washes over Morse's body, then returns to the water, apparently taking the paralysis with it. Morse closes his eyes and sits up. "Oho…" His eyes open, then he pats the sand beside him. "Come, sit. I'll tell you all about my lovely friends and the world they're trying to build."

Emina remains standing, and Morse doesn't push any further. Without any more battle or stalling, Morse begins his tale.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurasame sleeps; Emina returns.

Kazusa glances between the loaded syringe in his hand, Tonberry pacing about his lab, and Kurasame lying back in the examination chair. "One last time, you're sure about this?"

Kurasame glares at the bookcase next to Kazusa with bloodshot eyes, then glances all over the room for what must be the tenth time since he entered the small laboratory. "Yes, I'm sure," he says in a near hiss. "They're all…  _ saying  _ these things. I have guilt from the past and there's—" His head snaps to his right and he snarls at an unseen figure. "I know, I know," he mumbles, his expression easing. "...Where's Emina?"

"You know you'd be the first to know if I had any information," Kazusa says. "It's only been two days. She's likely in transit and her status update just hasn't made it here yet. She'll be fine."

Kurasame's expression darkens and he grips the chair's left armrest, crushing some of the metal. "It's so easy to say those things in a world where you'll forget all about it if you're wrong. If you go out on a mission and promise you'll be fine, no one will know if you lied."

Kazusa sighs inwardly. If only Kurasame knew. "This will put you out for twelve hours. No REM, no dreams, but it'll be a break from reality." He approaches the examination table and rolls up Kurasame's sleeve. Kurasame's hand is practically in a fist already, so Kazusa feels along his vein and cleans a patch of skin with a disinfectant wipe. The injection is swift, and Kazusa rolls Kurasame's sleeve back down. "Goodnight, Kurasame."

"Yeah," Kurasame says, closing his eyes. His jaw unclenches as the drug begins to circulate, and his muscles gradually relax. Kazusa steps away as Kurasame's eyes fall shut.

Now, it's time to get to work. Kazusa removes a book from his shelf and retrieves a device smaller than a thumbtack from the space before putting the book back. He places the device in his ear, then taps it. "Owl to Ramyu, do you copy?"

Ines' voice comes clearly through the device: "Copy, loud and clear. How are things looking on your end?"

"Thalia and Melpomene are ready to go. Static is en route. I've also confirmed that Aegis and Atlas are ready. You?"

"Tiababylo and Harmonia are in position. Michael and Venom too. Watches all synchronized. Another two days and we'll be living in a whole new Orience." Ines pauses. "...If we survive. Either way, if we get the job done then it'll be worth it."

Kazusa looks toward Kurasame. "...Yeah."

* * *

A sudden snowstorm held up the messenger who was supposed to report Emina's status to Central Command. So, they ended up on the same train back to Rubrum after Emina rested in Ingram for a night. Now she can give the full firsthand report to officials who suspect her. On top of that, she used a power that she loathes being in possession of. Great. Just swell. No matter how much she dislikes it, though, what's done is done.

"We've arrived at Akademeia," a monotonous announcement informs the passengers. "All crew and passengers please exit the train at this time." As is protocol, the civilians wait for anyone in uniform to get off before shuffling onto the platform. The people of Rubrum have always had a certain reverence for those associated with the military. Emina strides toward the north wing of the Peristylium with uncertainty welling in her stomach, well-hidden behind a smile as students look her way with relief on their faces. They're kind kids, these cadets. How could anyone send them to the battlefield? Yet Emina's very own classmates had been key in seizing Ingram years ago…

Emina mentally slaps herself on the wrist. Dwelling on the past is no good. She enters the building housing Central Command through a pair of large doors and walks through a foyer housing a statue of the first chancellor and one of a general whose legacy was lost to time. Emina comes to another, smaller set of doors and waits for the magic barrier to grant her access. Strangely, it seems to hesitate, a thin film of red appearing in front of the door before dissipating with a quiet buzz. Emina frowns. Could this be because of the power she used on the beach? No, it's no time to think about that. Emina pushes the doors open and enters.

Kasumi's face is the first Emina sees, and it's a sight for sore eyes. It's quickly balanced out by the eyesore that is the commandant, Suzuhisa. Some legionaries and tribunes standing around look her way, but none of them are particularly familiar. Lastly there's Takatsugu. It looks like he's taken charge of the situation somewhat, but regardless he looks happy to see Emina. That's a relief.

"You sure gave your cadets a scare," Kasumi says as Emina approaches the front of the room. "What's this about some swordsman in a pocket dimension?"

Emina scratches her head. "Right… So, that anomaly. It was like a… dimensional shift, or something. It distorted time, at least. And the beach…" Sheesh, how does she explain? "It wasn't from Orience."

Takatsugu walks closer to hear more, and motions with his hand toward Kasumi. Kasumi nods and waves her hand horizontally, making a translucent keyboard appear in midair. She begins to type, with the text appearing in a floating panel right in front of her. The hybrid inventions made from Rubrum's magic and Milites' technology really are something…

"Aki and I were walking through the snow," Emina says. "Suddenly the weather just… disappeared. The night, too. I'm not saying there was something like… I don't know, the Sun. Just this hazy light coming from nowhere in particular. It all looked kind of dreary. But the weirdest thing is that the waves of the ocean were silent."

"Aki mentioned that, too," Kasumi says as she types. "Go on."

Emina recalls her encounter. She'll have to leave some details out. "And then we were attacked by a man in a cloak. He was too powerful to be a normal human. He could disappear into smoke and reappear again, and dodge close-range magic. So I sent Aki back. At the very least I wanted to maximize her chances of survival."

"How did you make it out?" Takatsugu asks. Emina stiffens. What’s one more lie?

"I fought him some… and then he spared me, just when he had me down. He drew smoke out of the ocean and healed his injuries like it was nothing. Then he decided to tell me his story."

Emina expects Takatsugu to press for more details, but instead he simply asks, "Are you injured?"

Emina decides there's no need to delve too deep into the fight. "A few close calls, but in the end a couple of potions fixed everything. I lost my chocobo, though. That's why it took me so long to get back."

There's a thoughtful frown on Takatsugu's face. Maybe he's worried. He'd grown a little soft while Urushi was pregnant several years back, and remained somewhat fatherly despite the child not surviving. Maybe Emina would be annoyed if she remembered what it was like having a father, but as things are, Takatsugu keeping an eye out is refreshing.

"Back to the beach, though," Emina says. "That guy said that the ghosts are all souls that can't reach the next world. They're supposed to all return to a sea of Chaos and be reborn. In the case of the beach, it seems the souls there are trying to recreate that sea and the world they're meant to go to: Valhalla. According to him, anyway. It's not a reliable source, of course, but I didn't imagine I'd be fighting some superhuman in a warped dimension either."

"Is that all?" Kasumi asks, typing away. Oh, if only.

"Not quite," Emina says. "He told me using the Chaos to heal his wounds let him see the memories of different souls. He seemed deranged by it, but also… euphoric. If he knows how to stop this ghost nonsense, he's not telling."

"What did this man look like?" Kasumi asks.

"Blond. Thirties, muscular, one arm. Scar on the right side of his mouth." Morse is definitely in their files already, and he's not going down easily. Emina has no reason to be concerned for his well-being so she doesn’t take much issue with providing the details, but it'd be better to put more resources into research than to chase a madman. Morse would just slip through the Dominion's fingers and leave a list of casualties.

“Got it,” Takatsugu says in a flat, grim tone. “That should do for now. Go rest up. Welcome home.”

Home. Right. “Yes, Sir,” Emina says, dismissing herself. She immediately goes to exit the building, first and foremost; fresh air should do her some good. But even outside, on the oh-so-familiar campus of Akademeia, she feels like she isn’t “home” anymore. Where exactly is “home” supposed to be for someone like her? In an incinerator, mixed in with the ashes of all the other kids in that lab? Encased in glass, tweaked and modified until her defects are no more? No, no. She has to stop thinking like that, and just remember… her friends. The people she wants to protect. That’s home enough.

Emina exhales. She should go see how Kurasame is doing. He didn’t look so good the last time she saw him. If things have gotten any worse, Kazusa probably has an eye on him too. That settles it. First, she’ll drop by Kazusa’s lab. If Kurasame isn’t there too, then Kazusa most likely knows where he is. Emina begins her walk toward the Crystarium— only to be stopped just before she can reach the portal she wants to use.

“Miss Emina!” Enra calls from behind. Emina looks over her shoulder and sure enough, Enra is jogging toward her. Not far behind is Aki. From the looks of it, they just got out of class. Emina turns around to face them properly. Even from a distance, she can easily tell that they’re glad to see her. Kindness like that is deadly on the battlefield. If these kids are lucky, they’ll never have to go to war. But Emina doesn’t trust Orience. What is this world but a never-ending cycle of bloodshed?

“You made it back,” Enra says, beaming. “Thank the Crystal.” His smile turns into a pout. “Please don’t worry us like that!” He doesn’t seem at all bitter about Emina’s order for him to return home with Seven and Machina.

“When I got back, I told the rest of the team what happened,” Aki says. “You should’ve seen Enra and Machina. Nothing but gloom.  _ I  _ was sure you’d return, though.”

“Bull,” Enra says. “You were more worried than me and Kunagiri combined.”

The two begin to bicker, and Emina can’t help but laugh a little. Kids will be kids. It must be nice. “Sorry to worry you.” Emina smiles, for her own sake more than theirs. “Keep up your studies, you two.” She steps into the portal before the cadets can grill her for details on what happened after Emina sent Aki on her way back to the Dominion.

The remainder of the walk to Kazusa’s lab is uneventful, thankfully. The lab’s barrier stutters before letting her in. Maybe Emina should bring that up. Later, though. Right now is the time to see if her friends are well. From the sight of Kurasame unconscious and Kazusa not poking him with anything, she guesses they’re not doing too great. Tonberry runs up to her as soon as she arrives, and she scoops it up in a hug. “I’m okay. I’m okay...” She looks to Kurasame again as Tonberry curls up against her.

“He wanted to sleep,” Kazusa explains with his back toward Emina as he skims over papers on his desk. “By any means.” He turns around and runs a hand through his hair. “This chapter will be over soon, though. The souls will be free, and who knows? You might be, too.”

Emina can’t exactly pinpoint what Kazusa’s going on about, but if he doesn’t want to just up and say it, she’s probably better off not asking. “...I hope you’re right.” For all his experiments and scientific hijinks, Kazusa isn’t one to declare something will occur without the utmost confidence. Something is coming. Something big. Emina closes her eyes and mumbles a hollow prayer.

“May the Crystal…”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shatter.

A woman with a sturdy frame enters the underground chamber housing the Black Tortoise Crystal, with her son in toe. The guards watch the young man attentively, as though searching for a manifestation of his half-Rubrumite lineage. The mother bows before the Crystal, then returns to her upright and confident posture. The expression on her face, however, is one of dissatisfaction. Her son understands her hesitation all too well; surely there must be a better way. But, they are out of time. The ghosts of fallen child soldiers sit quietly in the corners of the room, staring vacantly at the Crystal.

“Ryid,” the mother says in a tone most wistful. “I pray that you survive what is to come.” She raises her arm, and a disk-shaped device flies from her sleeve. The guards move to subdue her, but there is no stopping what has begun. The device affixes itself to the Crystal, and the Crystal’s soft glow transforms into a harsh spotlight. The guards seize the mother’s arms and those of her son as King Gilgamesh breaks through the ceiling with a thunderous shout. Blinding light spews out of fissures in the Crystal, illuminating the dust and dirt hovering in the air. The king, eyes alight with divine purpose, reaches for the destructive device— and falls to his knees as the Black Tortoise Crystal shatters.

* * *

The only thing keeping Ingram from total darkness are flashlights and remnants of light pollution. And, of course, emergency lights flashing in the Steelworks. Once the reserves of energy taken from the White Tiger Crystal run out, however, it’s alternative power sources from there on out. Ines chews her lower lip and once again checks the pulse of Qun’mi, sound asleep in a desk chair. It’s somehow reminiscent of the days before the White Tiger called out to Qun’mi; of course, Qun’mi was never one to sleep on the job, but she always looked so  _ tired,  _ no matter how hard she tried to hide it. She probably hasn’t slept once since becoming a l’Cie. Ines covers Qun’mi’s body with a shabby but clean burlap blanket. “Rest well. You earned it. And you’ll need energy for when you chew me out about this later.”

* * *

It seems so unbearably quiet inside the Crystal chamber, despite the cries of Wyverns, soldiers, officials, and citizens alike outside the sacred doors. It’s so quiet, without Yuzuki’s competitive remarks. It’s so quiet, without the promise of Mistress Kaya’s wise words at their next meeting. Celestia wonders still, despite all her prior contemplation: Did she do the right thing? Is there any way to know, now? What could she possibly know? She doesn’t even know where Yuzuki’s blood ends and Her Majesty’s begins. Soon she won’t know who they are. Or will she? Now that the Crystal whose blessing took her memories of those fallen is but a cloud of sparkling dust, a beautiful shimmering blanket fading away like her consciousness...

“Thank you, Yuzuki, for trusting in me,” Celestia says with a grimace as pain throbs in her abdomen. The wound likely will not prove fatal, but the blood loss will surely send her into a dark sleep. This pain, this fear, it is nothing compared to the emotions stirring in Yuzuki’s damp eyes — the eyes of a traitor to their kingdom, and the eyes of a dear friend. Those eyes dull with the light of the Crystal’s remnants.

Celestia turns to the unconscious queen, whose hand still rests loosely around her lance. Why had she asked Soryu to not participate in the battle, and why did the Azure Dragon allow it? Her Majesty always understood things Celestia never could. “Majesty… Mistress Kaya, I…” Uncharacteristically, words elude Celestia. She closes her eyes to combat a sudden stinging sensation. Short of breath, she continues speaking in a near-whisper.

“My people… and my son. I ask not your forgiveness. Only that you overcome.” Claes Celestia Misca Sancest falls into a cold, quiet sleep.

* * *

Kazusa stands quietly in the basement of the mausoleum, a good ten steps away from the Vermilion Bird Crystal and its centuries-long guardian whose presence seems, befittingly, far from human. Perhaps it's the overwhelmingly powerful aura, or perhaps it's the fact that Lady Caetuna's skin is covered in glowing, vermilion patterns and she's hovering above the ground. "For what purpose hath a mortal enter'd the holy chamber of the Vermilion Bird?" Caetuna asks in a voice far more hostile than Kazusa guessed capable for someone with her history.

“I wanted to destroy the Crystal,” Kazusa says. “But clearly, that isn’t happening. That’s okay. As long as the others are gone, those souls should be able to escape this world. Though I wonder, why  _ did _ the Crystals decide to keep them here? Surely they didn’t want to bring about utter destruction. Would you happen to know, Lady Caetuna?”

“‘Caetuna’ is but a vessel,” Caetuna remarks. “Thou hadst sought to forefend ruin, yet malapert decisions hath wrought ultimate retribution.” She points to Kazusa, and a gust of wind pushes him back toward the stairs to the surface. Kazusa grimaces at the chill from the wind, and takes a step forward despite his dismissal. Before he can say anything more, an ear-splitting thunder sounds, shaking the ground. Caetuna turns away from Kazusa and toward the Crystal. The neutral light pulses red, and the marks on Caetuna’s body glow a darker, richer, bloody red. Then, she recites a passage most famous:

“When nine and nine meet nine, the depths of reason shall stir. When the seal of creation is broken, a voice like thunder shall sound, and thou shalt know—We have arrived.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then it all went to hell. Warning: Graphic(?) violence.

Emina’s body aches, not from ailment but from power, stray power drawn from the White Tiger or the Vermilion Bird or _both_ — and absorbed into her body. It doesn’t make any sense and it hurts and what the _hell_ did Kazusa do? But she may just need this extra power.

A blinding flash of lightning disappears into a sky dyed red. The ground shakes with the thunder that follows, and every hair on Emina’s body stands on end. There’s a moment of silence, and then a bloodcurdling scream that opens the gates of Hell.

Otherworldly invaders with stonelike faces storm Akademeia, throwing an ominous but peaceful day into the throes of chaos. Ghosts manifest — first just a few, but then tens, hundreds, all headed south toward the sea. Panicked cadets shout and run, some toward the action and others indoors for whatever shelter the Peristylium may provide. Against her better judgement and sense of duty, Emina’s fear leads her to search for Kazusa and Kurasame first.

“It’s Finis! It’s Tempus Finis!” Emina hears cadets and staff alike shout as she speeds past them, throwing Aerojas toward the mysterious and terrifying foes as she scans the hordes of fleeing people for the faces of her friends. If this really is Finis, there’s no point in hiding what she is anymore.

Emina finally locates Kazusa near the front lines of battle, shakily standing amongst cadet corpses with what seems to be a prototype of a handheld gatling gun in his hand, pointed toward the rapidly approaching enemies. Kurasame is just ahead, throwing up ice walls that last mere seconds before being cut down. Some of the enemies teleport right past the walls. As Emina approaches Kazusa, she hears him talking, almost chanting: “It’s my fault. All of this is my fault.”

“What’s done is done,” Emina says in an ill-prepared attempt to console her friend. “Take your own advice and focus on stopping things from getting any worse, rather than thinking about what is or isn’t your fault—”

“The entire WORLD is going to die because of me!” Kazusa snaps. “Kurasame, and you… everyone…” His trembling hands nearly drop his weapon, so Emina takes it from him and lowers it onto the ground.

“You can’t fight like this,” Emina says, hoisting Kazusa’s body over her shoulder without asking or warning. “We... “ She pauses. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’m forgetting something, but if we don’t get out of here then I’ll definitely forget you.” With that, she and Kazusa instantly disappear, reappearing in the catacombs beneath the Peristylium.

Kazusa jolts from the sudden change of scenery, then gives a dry laugh upon recognition of where they are. His laugh continues as Emina sets him on his feet. “Ha… ha… Back here. Where I tried to destroy the Crystal. Lady Caetuna wasn’t a fan of my presence. I wonder where Lord Zhuyu is. Haha…”

As if summoned by her mention, Lady Caetuna appears behind the two friends. Emina can sense her aura, powerful but muddled; tainted by something. “Even rats may prove useful. At last I shall be rid of this forgery, pilfering my power.” Her red eyes seem to shine even brighter, filled with a murderous intent that seems almost human. The tips of her fingers glow with a powerful magic as a smile graces her lips.

Emina conjures Aero magic and pushes Caetuna away with all her might, then brandishes a shield proudly displaying the insignia of the Militesi army. With no time for questions or hesitation, she latches onto Kazusa again and teleports to his lab.

Tonberry is waiting in the laboratory, pacing back and forth in confusion, and the sight makes Emina’s chest ache. “We’ve lost something,” Kazusa says, dazed. Emina sets him in his chair, then steps back and swallows. What can she even say at a time like this? And to the man who supposedly caused these circumstances, no less.

“Stay here,” Emina says. She kneels and pets Tonberry’s head. “I’m sorry. Could you watch over him until all this is over?” She gives a pained smile, then teleports again to the exterior of the Peristylium, where the strange creatures fell her countrymen without sympathy or respite.

The blood-colored sky weeps, or maybe it’s spitting on the bodies strewn about the campus. A large and mighty Bahamut variant stretches its wings above the bodies of three cadets: two from Class First, and one from Class Second. An inexplicable rage boils in the pit of Emina’s stomach and the depths of her soul. “What kind of bullshit is this?” She blinks rapidly, then looks up. A streak of flames shoots across the sky, toward what seems to be a floating palace from someplace that surely isn’t Orience. “Lord Zhuyu?” Emina doesn’t understand it, _any_ of it, and she isn’t sure she even wants to. Not that she has time to sit and think. An enemy steps on top of air, approaching with no strategy but to slaughter. It raises its blade—

Caetuna strikes it down with one stab through its abdomen and a Firaga to the face. She reaches inside its body and pulls out a cinnabar-colored substance, then crushes it in her hand. The body explodes into the same cinnabar color and vanishes. “Do not flee.”  
  
Emina flinches. Why? Why, damn it? “Aren’t you supposed to be ‘divine’ or whatever? Why are you so angry? What did you do to Lady Caetuna? Tell me, Vermilion Bird!”

“I’ve developed artificial emotion, and mankind has developed an artificial l’Cie,” Caetuna says. “This spiral is a complete, utter, failure!” She charges forward with a flaming dagger in hand and Shiva manifesting behind her. “Perish!”

* * *

Urushi pays no attention to an explosion north of her, or the frosty wind that follows. She holds Takatsugu’s head against her chest to offer what comfort she can as he breathes his last. The blood from his mangled body joins the pool on the pavement. Urushi’s own blood is mixed in as well. Not that she can remember any of the children or soldiers or civilians whose bodies litter the once-beautiful campus. Even Bahamut cannot defeat the monsters indiscriminately slaughtering every human in sight. Once felled, they only rise again. “...I’m sorry,” Urushi murmurs to no one, and to everyone. She hardly registers the shadow of a blade cast over her before it cuts her down in one swift motion.

* * *

A gash in Emina's arm boils with Caetuna's magic, as does a deep cut in her shield. Shiva's Diamond Dust is met with a column of flames from above.

As Lord Zhuyu descends, Caetuna rises into the air to meet him. "Zhuyu, you are well aware what fate awaits, should you defy your Focus."

"My mission is to defend the Crystal," Zhuyu says calmly. "We share this same duty. Surely you see that there is a greater threat than this woman."

"Persistent as always with that heart of yours," Caetuna says.

Without warning, Zhuyu strikes with his axe. Caetuna parries the blow by conjuring a blade more than twice the length of her entire body. "Who are you?" Zhuyu demands. Shiva appears to hesitate, eyeing her master's newly brandished weapon with distaste. Emina takes the opportunity to retreat, as far she can get — to that palace in the sky. As she flees, Emina can see the markings on Caetuna's skin shine a bright purple.

The next clash of weapons between Zhuyu and Caetuna levels the island upon which Akademeia was built.

* * *

* * *

Qun'mi's head rests in Ines' lap. Ines combs through her hair, quietly humming as her comrade sleeps. In an emergency bunker so far underground, it almost feels as if the world _isn't_ ending. But it is, and Ines' lack of memories proves it. "Well, if I die, at least I'll die by your side. Somehow that doesn't seem so scary."

* * *

Tonogiri flies through the red sky on the back of a Wyvern named Hiryu. That is the only name he can remember. The invaders from beyond Orience kept killing, and killing, and killing…

When Hiryu grows tired, those demons will kill them, too. "I'm… I'm scared," Tonogiri says quietly. Hiryu gives a cry of mutual sentiment.

* * *

King Gilgamesh sits upon his throne, impaled many times over and weeping not from the pain but for his people whose faces and names he cannot remember. The warriors that appeared, the bringers of Finis, would spare not even a newborn. Could Gilgamesh consider himself a king any longer, having failed to protect his kingdom, having forgotten those who lived there, having now forgotten himself?

* * *

* * *

Emina's skin burns as she lands at the palace entrance. She should not be here. Information seeps into her mind; this is Pandæmonium, the Land of Judgment. Yes, she should definitely _not_ be here. But where else is there to go? Every path leads to ruin. With nearly every memory gone, what's even the point of treading any path at all? Survival instinct, maybe. More of those warriors appear — Rursus, they're called, or at least that's what pops into Emina's head.

Emina conjures spears made of light and pierces each of her foes with them. Then she tries what Caetuna had done earlier. She reaches into the nearest body and tears out a translucent, spherical substance that pulses with light. Then she crushes it in her palm, and feels herself absorb it as the body explodes. It feels wrong, _wrong,_ but if it's the only way to defeat the Rursus then so be it. Emina reaps the other bodies before they can arise and heads into the palace.

Caetuna's voice rings in Emina's head, more amused than hostile: _Kill._

All manner of monsters — Bombs, Giants, Behemoths — appear, unnaturally bloodthirsty and focused on attacking. Emina tears through them with the power she'd been drawing from the Crystals for over a decade. Finally letting it loose is as exhilarating as it is terrifying.

The climb to the top of Pandæmonium is long, grueling, but oddly satisfying. Emina's blade demands more powerful enemies, and Pandæmonium provides. She takes on the puzzles eagerly, her own bloodthirst gradually overtaking that of the foes sent to her. With each swing of her katana, she hears voices she does not recognize.

"I'm forgetting who I am."

"Please, help."

"Somebody say my name!"

It's too late. It's too late for all of that. Just fight… just kill. Emina's mind becomes a blur, a mess of formulas on how to eliminate enemies as she cuts down dragons, cadets, Eidolons, ghosts, machines, monsters. It doesn't matter anymore. Just kill, and kill, and kill…

  
  


Finally, Emina reaches the highest floor of the palace. The bodies of twelve children lie cold in a long corridor. Emina turns away. Through the windows, she sees stars twinkling in the bloody sky. It's a beautiful sight, all things considered. Emina looks down at her hands. They're red and brown with all sorts of dirt and blood, knuckles bruised and scarred. Is this all she is now?

"Did you have fun?" Caetuna asks. Emina brandishes both her sword and shield, and looks around for Caetuna. Then, strangely, her body locks up. She can hardly stand, let alone attack. A purple ball of light appears several steps away, then flares. The light rapidly fades, leaving Caetuna in its stead. In her right hand is her dagger, and in her left is the detached head of a man with a scar on his face. She drops the head onto the floor and kicks it in Emina's direction. "Even a good fight becomes boring after some time."

Emina stares silently, repulsed. Caetuna continues, unfazed. "Agito has not been born into the world. We'll have to start over again. Next time, I'll ensure no false l'Cie are engineered. That is a recipe for failure, if but an entertaining show."

"What are you?" Emina asks in a near whisper, confused out of her mind. What the hell is "next time" supposed to mean?

Caetuna smirks. She snaps her fingers, and Emina's life ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive the chaotic clusterfuck (and everything else).


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter of Silence

Morse strolls through a city that, save for his own whistling and a few crackling fires, is completely silent. That's to be expected when everyone is dead. Thankfully the cold weather of Milites has kept the bodies from stinking up a storm, for now. Maybe the homes in the wealthier districts have some coffee intact…

"Hm?"

Morse looks up at the sky. The crimson color recedes, and the usual black returns, only to be split by a brilliant light. The sky turns a mythical cerulean, and the shadow-filled city becomes fully visible.

"So, this is the power of the Sun. What a sight it is."

The light in the sky, the Sun, grows even brighter, quickly consuming Orience and returning it to its spiral.


End file.
